Microsoft Buys Land in NC for datacenter

According to BizJournals, Microsoft is buying up land in the piedmont area of NC for a datacenter:

According to deeds filed with the county, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has acquired over 440 acres in Catawba County since last month. The land, which includes parcels throughout the county at the announced sites of Microsoft’s operations, was purchased for a total of nearly $18.6 million. Based on the announced acreages for the sites included in the $1 billion Microsoft project, the company still has several hundred acres left to acquire.

County real estate records show Microsoft has acquired an approximately 160-acre site off Hickory Lincolnton Highway, and west of Highway 321, for nearly $6.5 million. The company also bought a nearly 16-acre site off Tate Boulevard for $836,000, real estate records show. Those were the announced sites of Projects Pine and Star, which called for a $365 million investment as part of Microsoft’s overall plans in the county.

Microsoft paid nearly $7.5 million for 157 acres to the north of Conover along N.C. Highway 16. The land appears to be part of the project site for Project Agate, which was announced as a $332 million investment at a 219-acre site along N.C. Highway 16 near Conover. 

Microsoft purchased approximately 113 acres at West Maiden and Zeb Haynes roads in Maiden for $3.7 million. The land is a portion of the site for Project Yoga, which was announced as a $332 million investment at a 292-acre site at the same location.

In this same area we also have a big Apple data center, and from 321 you can see solar farms. I’m always curious if they are buying this land because of something with the region making it great for a data center, or if it’s just because Apple is already there and they can get the same terms on tax breaks from the state.